Peter Andre, 52, breaks silence on outrage to new movie after undergoing Jamaican makeover
Peter Andre has addressed the backlash surrounding his upcoming film, Jafaican, in his first interview about the controversial project.
The 52-year-old singer and actor spoke out ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Gold Coast Film Festival in Australia this Friday.
The film has faced criticism since its trailer was released last month, with some viewers taking issue with Andre’s portrayal of a Jamaican character.
Andre discussed the “mixed feedback” during a recent television appearance.
In the film, Andre plays Gary Buckle, a character who impersonates a Jamaican gangster to steal money for his grandmother’s care home fees.
Andre revealed he first saw the script about three years ago, describing it as “a heist like you’ve never seen before!”
Speaking on Channel 7 in Australia, Andre explained the plot: “He tries everything and basically comes up with this scheme because apparently Gary looks like this guy in Jamaica who happens to be ready to inherit $3 million.”
The film also stars Wil Johnson, Jamie Lomas and Oliver Samuels.
The trailer sparked controversy due to footage of Andre wearing a dreadlock wig and putting on an accent for the role.
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Some viewers described the film as “gross” and accused it of “mocking Jamaican culture” following the trailer’s release.
Others, however, appeared to find the film’s trailer amusing, resulting in what Andre described as “mixed feedback” to the project.
The backlash prompted Andre to address the criticism directly in his first interview about the film.
When asked about the criticism, Andre responded: “Well, to be fair, I mean, I think it’s good to get all sorts of feedback. I mean, this is not… It’s my first lead role but I’ve done quite a few roles before. And all of them, I’ve played different characters.”
He continued: “So for me, it’s acting – I get to do something light-hearted, something funny. Something that y’know is the kind of film I’d want to watch.”
Andre described the project as “almost like a little bit self-indulgent” as he gets to do something he’s “really, really wanted to do.”
In the interview, Andre praised director Fredi Nwaka, saying: “[He’s] so good because he doesn’t let me just play the character that you think you’re gonna play. He always gets me to play someone very, very different.”
The actor also revealed that “half” of the film was shot in Jamaica, which allowed him to work with “some of his idols” during production.
Andre shared the interview on his Instagram account on Wednesday morning, encouraging followers to watch it in full.
In his Instagram post sharing the interview, Andre wrote: “My FIRST ever interview for JAFAICAN. Live from Australia @channel7. Please watch till end if you can. World premier at the Gold Coast film festival May 9th. Odeon cinema release UK 20th May. Get your tickets.”
The film represents Andre’s first lead role, though he has previously taken on supporting acting parts in other productions.